Blog Archives

Both Adobe Media Encoder (AME) and Apple Compressor recently underwent upgrades. In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan explains how job chaining in Apple Compressor can save time when compressing multiple versions of the same file.

An answer to the question of whether Time Machine is smart enough to back-up only the files that have changed inside a Final Cut Pro X Library.

An illustrated tutorial on little-known tools in Adobe Audition that can simplify and speed-up audio mixing; especially for video projects.

While this session features the newest version of Final Cut – 10.3 – this webinar is focused more on covering operations than new features. This short video excerpt illustrates how to use the Media Import window, and what the different import options mean.

Roles and role components solve a problem we’ve had for a long while on how to easily create and modify audio stems and simplify our audio mixes in Final Cut Pro X. This illustrated tutorial shows you how.

This short video excerpt illustrates the major changes to the Timeline Index and Roles to help organize, display, edit and mix audio in the new 10.3 version of Final Cut Pro X.

This short video tutorial illustrates how Roles can be used to organize audio files in the Magnetic Timeline in the new FCP X 10.3.

An illustrated tutorial on the new Roles and Lanes features in Apple Final Cut Pro X (v10.3).

An overview of the new P3 / Rec. 2020 color space supported by Final Cut Pro X 10.3 and what we can do to view media in this new color space.

A visual tutorial to the hidden mouse buttons in Final Cut Pro X.

A short, illustrated tutorial on how to save export presets in Final Cut Pro X.

Final Cut Pro X has hundreds of keyboard shortcuts – many of which aren’t even attached to keys. This article show cases almost fifty shortcuts that can make your work go faster.

This session presents a variety of little-known Final Cut Pro X tips and techniques that showcase new ideas, new ways to work faster, or new ways to add some fun to your video editing. This short video tutorial illustrates how to transfer files from one editor to another, for example, where one editor logs while the other editor edits.

An illustrated guide to some of the less-obvious interface elements in the Final Cut Pro X Browser.

A short, illustrated tutorial on how to create custom Compressor locations, which can both simplify and speed media compression.

Apple Final Cut Pro X can do some amazing things. But, when you combine Final Cut with powerful third-party tools – a whole new world of productivity opens. This short video tutorial is the first five minutes of our in-depth tour and training on Final Cut Library Manager, from Arctic Whiteness.

Kyno is an easy-to-use media management, screening, logging, organization and transcoding toolset for anyone working with video content and still imagery. In this illustrated First Look, discover what sets Kyno apart from other media management tools. Larry really likes this.

Earlier this week, Norman Hollyn and I gave a presentation to the LACPUG (Los Angeles Creative Pro User Group) on creating documentaries. Norman covered story-telling and editing, while I discussed interview planning and techniques. In thinking about my presentation, I …

Up-resing is the process of converting lower resolution video into higher resolution. For example, converting SD video into HD or HD into 4K. In this short video tutorial, you’ll learn what up-resing is, why it is so hard to make it look good, what bitmaps and interlacing are and how they relate to improving the look of your video.

Audio peak levels are not enough. We now need to consider average levels when editing video and mixing audio. This short, illustrated tutorials provides a quick orientation. (Updated with new settings.)

Tips on why files go offline and how to fix them, along with a wide variety of media management articles on Final Cut Pro X.

The Top Ten most common mistakes that affect video editing.

A step-by-step guide to transferring projects between Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Apple Final Cut Pro X; along with an explanation of what transfers and what doesn’t.

An explanation of the difference between I-frame and GOP video compression and why it matters to video editors.

These are the highlights of the 2016 Coughlin Associates survey on how media professionals use storage, along with a link to a PDF containing the complete survey results.

Just about every video editor wants to know more about audio, and just about every one of them doesn’t have the time to study audio repair and mixing as much as they would like. In this short video excerpt, Larry Jordan illustrates how to move projects between Adobe Audition, Adobe Premiere, Final Cut Pro 7 and Final Cut Pro X.

With the June, 2016, update to Premiere Pro CC, Adobe added several new shortcuts that speed using keyframes inside the application. This illustrated article explains what and where they are.

Last week, Adobe released updates to all their audio and video software. In this short video tutorial, Larry Jordan showcases the new dynamic link between Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe Audition CC.

An illustrated technique showing how to transfer custom Apple Compressor settings from one computer to another.

A performance test of Adobe Media Encoder (2016) comparing its performance against earlier versions, with optimized suggestions for YouTube compression.

A variety of media creators explain how they archive their media and projects for the long-term.

In this short video excerpt, Larry Jordan shows how to compress files for social media using Job Actions in Apple Compressor.

The Audio Track Mixer in Premiere allows us to control our sound in some very sophisticated ways. One of which uses Sends and Buses. This illustrated tutorial explains what audio buses are and how to use them.

An illustrated way to find out which USB protocol your Macintosh computer supports, along with a discussion of the new USB 3.1-C.

An illustrated tutorial on weird, obscure settings at the bottom of the Sequence and Export dialogs in Premiere Pro that no one understands… and that you can’t find in the Adobe Help Files.

There are two ways to create Library templates for Final Cut Pro X. This illustrated tutorial describes both methods.

The Library panel allows you to add and share media and assets between the various Adobe applications. While currently designed to enable still artists working with Photoshop, libraries can still be useful to video editors. This illustrated tutorial explains how.

About 200 of Larry Jordan’s favorite keyboard shortcuts for Apple Final Cut Pro X and Adobe Premiere Pro CC. (Available as two separate PDFs and formatted for both printing and reference.)

An illustrated guide to editing HDR media in Final Cut Pro X.

A behind-the-scenes look at the setup and gear the Digital Production Buzz is using for its NAB 2016 live coverage.

A detailed explanation of what video frame rates are, why and when we need to convert them; and why you shouldn’t.

An illustrated, step-by-step tutorial on how to use compound clips in Final Cut Pro X to apply audio filters to multiple clips at once.

In this short video excerpt, Larry Jordan shows how and why to create custom locations to store compressed files using Apple Compressor.

In this short video excerpt, Larry Jordan shows how to create and use Watch Folders to automate video compression using Adobe Media Encoder.

Final Cut Library Manager is an essential Final Cut utility that allows you to do things with Final Cut Pro X library and media files files that are either impossible or enormously time-consuming to do any other way. This highlights their latest release (v. 3.04)

In this short video demo, Larry Jordan shows how to shoot a green-screen in studio, then how to create a green-screen effect using Adobe Premiere Pro CC.

Recently, I hosted a webinar looking at media management in Final Cut Pro X. Over the last two days I learned that some of the information I provided in that session was incorrect. This article corrects my errors.

Media management in FCP X boils down to: its either in the library or it isn’t. And every time you import media, you get to choose where it goes. This article explains what you need to know.

NOTE: This Macintosh technique requires a Blu-ray Plug-in and BD-R or BD-RE Burner, both of which are sold separately. Without these, a Blu-ray Disc can not be created on a Mac. As Apple moves ever farther from supporting optical media, …

In this short video excerpt from a recent webinar, Larry Jordan shows the best way to import media from a camera, camera card, hard disk or iPhone into Final Cut Pro X.